Faith Community Support of Family Caregivers

Where was Mrs. Martin last Sunday morning?  And come to think of it, she wasn’t at Bible Study last Wednesday night!

Mrs. Martin was at home taking care of her mother who has recently experienced some memory and physical impairments.  Now Mrs. Martin must prepare her mother’s meals, help her with housecleaning, finances, and personal care.  Mrs. Martin works and caregiving has taken quite a bit of time away from other things in her life and has taken a toll on her energy as well.

Why the focus on caregiving?

• One-fourth of all adult North Carolinians provide regular care to someone age 60 or older.  See state caregiver statistics at http://www.ncdhhs.gov/aging/fcaregr/fcdemog.htm
• The federal government has recognized and offered support to family caregivers through the National Family Caregiver Support Program. (http://www.ncdhhs.gov/aging/fcaregr/fchome.htm to learn about NC‘s implementation; http://www.aoa.gov/prof/aoaprog/caregiver/caregiver.asp for information on the national perspective).

Faith Newsletter Article about Caregiving:

Newsletter - Information and Resources for Family Caregivers

Bulletin - Holiday TIPS for Caregivers

• Identify and recognize caregivers in your congregation.
• Offer support groups to bring caregivers together.
• Provide meals for the care-receiver, the caregiver or both.
• Organize respite volunteers to allow the caregiver to have a break or time to take care of their own needs by:
  • Offering in-home respite
  • Offering a group respite site. See the Brookdale Foundation Website for information on funding at http://www.ncdhhs.gov/aging/fcaregr/newop.htm
• Offer transportation (take care-receiver to the doctor, the bank, etc.).
• Make community resource information available (find local provider information at http://www.ncdhhs.gov/aging/info_sdr.htm) .
• Provide a library section for caregivers.  For a bibliography, see http://www.ncdhhs.gov/aging/fcaregr/faithbio.htm
• Form coalitions with other faith communities to offer volunteer services to assist caregivers (respite, transportation, meals, home repair and adaptation).  For information on grants for this type of service visit the Robert Wood Johnson Faith in Action Program website at http://www.fiavolunteers.org/
• Offer caregiver workshops or refer to community when workshops are available.
• Workshop information is often available through your local aging office or area agency on aging.
• Topics could include
• End of life issues
• Community resources
• Legal issues
• Advance planning (planning for future incapacity)
• Disease education
• Caregiving hands-on skills
• Medicare (Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) is interested in partnering with faith communities to provide important and useful Medicare and other health Information.  See http://cms.hhs.gov/partnerships/communities/default.asp
• Ask caregivers what they need and want.
• Become involved in local efforts to support caregivers.  Call the Area Agency on Aging Caregiver Resource Specialist for more information on this. http://www.ncdhhs.gov/aging/fcaregr/fcjobs.htm
• Visit http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org/empowerment/nfcmonth_ideas.cfm for tips on Supporting Caregivers in Faith Communities.
• "How To" Guides for Organizing and Promoting your Program http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org/empowerment/nfcmonth_guides.cfm
• Check into establishing Volunteer Support Teams to assist families and individuals with needs.  Contact Support Team Network, 188 Community Care Building., Birmingham, AL 35924-2050;  1-877-614-9129  or on the web at http://www.SupportTeam.org.
  
• Visit http://www.fullcirclecare.org for educational and resource information.